Device comprising a gasfilled electric discharge tube



March 13, 1934. QosTERHuls 1,951,105

DEvICE COMPRISING A GASFILLED ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBE Filed Oct. 10, 1931 Inventor: Bkko Oosberhuis, by m X W His Attorney.

with a glower Patented Mar. 13, 1934 STATE DEVICE COMPRISING A GASFILLED' ELEC- TRIC DISCHARGE TUBE Ekko flosterhuis, Eindhoven, Netherlands, as-

signcr to General Electric Company,

tion of New York Application @ctober 10,

a corpora- 1931, Serial No. 568,197

in The Netherlands October 11, 1930 3 Claims.

In co-pending application Serial Number 561,113, filed September 4., 1931, it was proposed that a gasfilled discharge tube in which ultraviolet rays can be generated should be provided adapted to emit visible light and the circuit of this glower should be electrically separated from the circuit in which the discharge path is included.

In addition it was proposed to arrange the glower in a space separated from the discharge space.

The light produced by the glower alters the spectrum of the light emitted by the discharge tube so that the device emits not only ultra-violet rays but also visible light. In addition, heat rays are generated by the glower. The device is thus particularly suitable for combined radiation by ultra-violet light and by heat rays and also serves in such case as a source of visible light.

The invention which relates to a. device containing a gasfilled electric discharge tube in which ultra-violet rays can be generated and a glower adapted to emit visible light aims at making some improvements in such a device. In the present specification a gaseous filling is to be understood to include not only a filling consisting of one or more gases but also a filling consisting of one or more vapours or a mixture of gas and vapour.

The device according to the invention comprises a switch by means of which the electric discharge can be established and the glower can be placed in circuit each separately. This permits of the device being used by daylight for emitting ultra-violet light which can be made available, for example, for subjecting to radiation parts of the human body or other objects. In the dark, the device can serve as an illuminating lamp by which heat rays are also emitted. This dual action of the device increases its serviceability.

In addition, the switch provided may be arranged so that the electric discharge can be established and the glower can be connected into the circuit also simultaneously. In this case, the device may serve at the same time as a radiating, an illuminating and a heating lamp so that the lamp is particularly adapted to be used as a reading lamp, the user of the lamp being thus at the same time subjected to radiation by ultraviolet light and by heat rays.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, one device in accordance therewith will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the said device, and

Figure 2 is an electric diagram of the said device.

The device shown in Figure 1 has a foot 1 and secured to the latter a standard 2. This standard carried at its end by means of a brace 3 a reflector 4 having mounted in it an electric discharge tube 5. This tube comprises an incandescent cathode 6 (Figure 2) and two anodes 7 and is filled with a supply of argon, for example at a pressure of a few millimeters, and in addition there is a supply of liquid mercury in the tube. The discharge tube is also provided with a helically wound glower 8 which consists for example of tungsten and can be heated to the extent of emitting visible and heat rays.

As is particularly apparent from Figure 2, the discharge between the incandescent cathode 6 and the anodes 7 is set up by means of a transformer 9 the primary of which is designatedby 10. This transformer comprises a secondary 11 the two ends of which are connected to the anodes 7, the midpoint of this winding being electrically connected to a further secondary winding 12 supplying power to the incandescent cathode 6. The glower 8 is connected to the secondary 13 of the transformer 14 the primary of which is designated by 15.

One of the ends of the windings 10 and 15 is connected to the contacts of a switch 16, the other ends of the said windings being interconnectedand connected to one of the terminals of a source of alternating current 18. In addition the transformer winding 10 has connected in series with it a resistance 17. The switch 16 has a rotary part comprising three conductive arms and one of its contacts is connected to one of the poles of an alternating current supply 18.

In the position in which the switch 16 is shown both the circuit of the transformer 9 and that of the transformer 14 are interrupted. When the switch is turned 90 in a clock-wise direction, the primary circuit of the transformer 14 is closed so that the glower 8 is heated and the device can serve as a lighting lamp. When the switch 16 is turned further 90, only the primary of the transformer 9 will be closed so that only a discharge between the cathode 6 and the anodes 7 is set up and the device can be used as an ultra-violet radiator. When the switch 16 is turned again 90, both transformers 9 and 14 will be energized so that the discharge between the cathode 6 and the anodes 7 is set up and at the same time the glower terminal of an alternating current source, a switch 2 8 is heated so that the device emits not only ultraviolet rays but also light and heat rays.

The transformers 9 and 14 are housed in the foot of the device and the switch 16 is secured to the said foot.

What'I clairn'is:

1. An ultraviolet generating electric discharge devicecomprising a container, a pair of anodes, a hot cathode for said anodes, a gaseous filling for supporting an ultraviolet emitting discharge between said anodes and said cathode an incandescent filamgent in said container for supplying visible and heat radiations to the spectrum of the discharge between said anodes and cathode, a transformer comprising a primary and a secondary coil for said anodes and said cathode, said anodes being connected to' the ends and said cathode being connected to the mid-point of said transformer secondary, another transformer comprising a primary and a secondary coil for said incandescent filament, said filament being connected to the secondary of said last mentioned transformer, one end of each of said transformer primaries ,being connected to each other and to a for said device comprising a plurality of stationary contacts and a movable conducting member adapted to make contact with all but one of said contactssimultaneously, the other end of each of i said transformer'primaries being connected to one of said switch contacts, one of said switch contacts being connectedto the other terminal of said current source, said switch being adapted on successive movements thereof to out said electrodes and said incandescent filament into the circuit in said electrodes and said inout of the circuit simultanesequence and to cut candescent filament ously. i 7

2. An ultraviolet generating electric discharge device comprising a container, a pair of anodes, a hot cathode for said anodes, a gaseous filling comprising metal vapor for supporting an ultraviolet emitting discharge between said anodes and said cathode, an incandescent filamentin 'said contain r for supplying visible and heat radiations to the spectrum of the discharge between said anodes and cathode, a transformer comprising a primary and a secondary coil for said anodes and said cathode, said anodes being connected to the ends and said cathode being connected to the mid-point of said transformer secondary, another transformer comprising a primary and a secondary coil for said incandescent filament, said filament being connected to the secondary of said last mentioned transformer, one end of each of said transformer primaries being connected to each other and to a terminal of an alternating current source, a switch for said device comprising a plurality of stationary contacts and a movable conducting member adapted'to make contact with all but one of said contacts simultaneously, the other end of each of said transformer primaries beingrconnected to one of said switchcontacts, one of said switch contacts being connected to the other terminal of said current source, said switch being adapted on successive movements thereof to out said electrodes and said incandescent filament into the circuit in sequence and to out said electrodes and said incandescent filament out of the circuit simultaneously. i

3. An ultraviolet generating electric discharge device comprising a container, a pair of anodes, a hot cathode for said anodes, a gaseous filling comprising a mixture of argon and mercury vapor for supporting an ultraviolet emitting discharge between said anodes and said cathode, and an incandescent filament in said container for supplying visible and heat radiations to the spectrum of the discharge between said anodes and cathode,

a transformer comprising a primary and a secondary coil for said anodes and said cathode, said anodes being connected to the ends and said cathode being connected to themid-point of said transformer secondary; another transformer comprising a primary and a secondary coil for said incandescent filament, said filament being connected to the secondary of said last mentioned traiisformer, one end of each of said transformer primaries being connected to each other and to a terminal of an alternating current source, a switch for said device comprising a plurality of stationary contacts anda movable conducting member adapted to make contact with all but one of saidcontacts simultaneously, the other end of each of said transformer primaries being connected to one of said switch contacts, one of said switch contacts being connected to the other terminal of said current source, said switch being adapted on successive movements thereof to out said electrodes and said incandescent filament into the circuit in sequence and to out said electrodes and said incandescent filament out of the circuit simultaneously.

EKKO OOSTERHUIS. 

